a clean sweep Seizing The Need For Education A shining example of never being content with convention. By: Amanda Martini-Hughes, assistant editor T The world is full of innovators and people who saw opportunity in front of them and took the time to grab that opportunity and do with it what they wanted. No opportunity, no matter how big or how small, should be squandered. It is no secret that those who turned their eyes to the horizon of green and sustainable cleaning are proudly patting themselves on the back. They saw that the fad of “going green” as more than a fad: They saw it as the future. That future, that many people thought would never come, is here. The savvy businessperson, ever with their eye to the future, took advantage of this trend in its infancy and now finds themself in the position to further educate the masses as the future of the industry continues to change and evolve. This is the position Jim Houlahan, III, national hospitality director for Pure Source Technologies LLC, found himself in over a year ago. was the question.” With a little research and a little luck, Houlahan Marketing Enterprises found Pure Source Technologies, and the two compa-nies proved to be a good fit. Together, the two companies would move forward with their belief that green and sus-tainable chemicals are the way of the future; both knew, however, that their idea — no matter how much it made sense — would not get off the ground if the public did not believe and understand the claims that they made. breathe them in or ingest them each and every day. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is quickly rising on the lists of things cleaning professionals need to be sure to take care of when cleaning a space, and indeed when choosing the prod-ucts used to clean. “Knowledge is power, explains Houlahan. “Armed with this new power, people can choose and make educated decisions on what to use and what not to use.” Gaining Momentum Eco-friendly sanitation technologies are not going away; in fact, it’s something Houlahan sees as gaining a stronger foothold in the industry over time. “We are getting more and more requests from businesses stating that they want to go green,” proclaims Houlahan. “People are get-ting wiser and becoming more aware of the dangers of using the kinds of chemicals we have depended on in the past.” End users are beginning to understand that natural cleaning supplies can end up being less expensive to produce and less environmentally taxing in terms of the Earth’s resources. “It is crucial to be mindful of the importance of keeping waterways and water sources free of contamination because the chemicals in commercially produced cleaning prod-ucts can end up contaminating natural water sources as well as depleting the ozone layer,” asserts Houlahan. “The welfare of future generations depends on the choices we make now.” Above all else, Houlahan wants the pub-lic to be educated to the options they have when it comes to the multitude of cleaning solutions. The power to change the way we clean is in our hands. CM Not Another Of The Many Houlahan did not want to be yet another com-pany touting yet another new product that was supposed to work better and be greener than whatever came before it. “Cleaning product companies tell you that, to keep your home or office clean and smell-ing fresh, you need to rely on an army of cleaning and air care products; sprays, wipes, powders, liquids and more are sold with the promise of improving your health by remov-ing dirt and germs,” notes Houlahan. “What many companies do not say up front is that many products can contain chemicals that may harm your health.” According to Houlahan, manufacturers often recommend frequent and repeated use of their products, which can, in some cases, translate to frequent and repeated exposures to potentially irritating chemicals. The basis of Houlahan’s partnership with Pure Source was born out of the desire to offer solid education to the end user about the variety of products on the market so the user could, in turn, make a better informed deci-sion about the products used in their facilities. It is a known fact that introducing any-thing foreign to an environment has poten-tial adverse effects on the individuals who The Need In the early part of 2011, Houlahan’s attention was grabbed by a product that was relatively new to the industry: An antimicrobial solution, guaranteed not to wash off or wear away, giv-ing the surface it was applied to permanent antimicrobial protection. One product was enough to launch Houlahan Marketing Enterprises LLC under the belief that there was a need to market to and educate the public on new eco-friendly sanitation technologies. “It was difficult starting up a business focused on the sanitation management mar-ket,” says Houlahan. “I knew that the eco-friendly technologies were out there, but how I was going to find the right products and get the product in front of the decision makers 48 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • August 2012
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